Candidate Q&A
Harrison County School District
School Board Election 2022
Our public education questionnaire was offered to school board candidates in the November 8 school board elections. Search below for responses from board districts that have opposing candidates. Unopposed candidates are not included.
District 1
Steven Ramsey
WINNER
NO RESPONSE
Crystal Wingo
1. What has been your involvement with the community and school district? Describe your leadership and volunteerism in the community. Did you or your children attend school in the district? Have you volunteered in or been employed by the school district? As a vested community member, I have supported the community by developing a leadership academy for underserved children. Our academy provided options for different career paths, problem solving skills, communication skills, life skills, and how to de-escalate situations. I have supported the school district by being an active volunteer on city league teams, track teams, cheerleading, powerlifting, band, and cross country. My leadership skills span from being a member of the United States Army to my involvement with many national and local organizations. I display leadership in every role I perform. My children have graduated from high school in District 1 and currently attend school in District 1.
2. Why do you want to serve on your school board? I want to serve because I want to bring an open mind, and objectivity to the board. My focus would be student centered decision making that would include collaboration, transparency, and inclusivity. I am passionate about children being successful and serving on the school board allows me the chance to give back in a different capacity.
3. Students from low-income households often need additional resources to achieve academic success. What should your school district do to ensure that all students are successful? Low-income households should have access to Saturday school learning hours and after school tutoring. Various hotspots in some neighborhoods and safe study areas in neighborhoods are key.
4. What strategies would you support to create a safer school environment? What can your school district do to address cyberbullying, mental health, and physical safety? To create a safer school environment, schools should buzz in all guests, support resources officers in schools, and encourage parents to volunteer at their child’s schools. To address mental health issues, all schools should staff clinicians and case workers as an additional layer of help for students who may experience mental problems. To address cyberbullying, schools should teach methods of prevention, education, and speak out against cyberbullying in rallies every 9 weeks. To address physical safety, schools need a well-thought-out security improvement plan. The plan should include awareness, training, cameras, and a police response.
5. What do you see as the most pressing infrastructure needs facing your district? All schools need a shaded playground. Some of our schools need repairs, and repainting but overall, I do support safe lead-free drinking water for everyone and support climate friendly bus transportation.
6. Mississippi school districts are funded by a mix of federal, state, and local funds. The state contributes to local school districts through the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP). MAEP is intended to fund teacher salaries, retirement and benefits, transportation costs, facility maintenance and utilities, special education and other programs, but it is underfunded statewide this year by $279-million. What role will you play in advocating for full funding of MAEP for your district? Initially, I will look at the budget and investigate why these categories were underfunded and what other programs received extra funding and why? Second, based on the findings, I will advocate for these funds to be returned to their original funding purpose. One source of additional income is the successful state lottery, enacted by the 2018 Legislature. Key legislative leaders can advocate and support receiving additional funds from the lottery to be used to fund these categories.
7. Vouchers for private school tuition and online schools divert public funds away from public schools. Do you agree that tax dollars should be used for only public schools and not for non-public schools? Why or why not? Tax dollars should be used differently in each school, but we should take into consideration various communities, employment status of parents, and average family dynamic (both parents or single parent). The vouchers should consider the needs of the children in each school district. However, non-public schools in some cases have access to private funders, and anonymous donations.
8. In Mississippi, academic standards are set by the Mississippi Department of Education and local districts choose curricula from an MDE approved list. Do you trust educators in your district to teach using their professional judgement and training or should teaching be further regulated by school board policy or law? If you believe teaching should be further regulated, how so? Teachers should follow the regulations from the school board. In some cases, the law does not provide exceptions for bad conduct.
9. Mississippi is experiencing a severe teacher shortage. What strategies will you support to recruit and retain high quality educators? Support higher wages for teachers, supporting automatic raises during the 3- year, 5-year, 8-year, 10-year, 13 years, 15 years, 18 years, and 20 years benchmarks. And at 25 years an $10,000 lump sum bonus and at 30 years a $15,000 lump sum bonus. Provide a flex schedule by extending the workday so some teachers may take Friday or Monday off, hire more substitute teachers, highlight the great work of teachers, and offer 14 mental health days in addition to off days, and sick leave. Provide additional raises for acquiring Master level degree and higher. Hire mental health workers to address children with a mental health diagnosis. Hire more male role models.
District 2
Kinyatta Bennett
NO RESPONSE
Betty Daniel
Advanced to runoff
1. What has been your involvement with the community and school district? Describe your leadership and volunteerism in the community. Did you or your children attend school in the district? Have you volunteered in or been employed by the school district? My children, grandchildren, niece and nephew attended school in the Harrison County School District. I was employed for several years in a support staff position. Also, I have been involved in a volunteer status as room mother numerous times, field days and field trips and many years as a band booster member.
2. Why do you want to serve on your school board? I want to explore the possibilities that will allow students to learn to the best of their ability while also supporting our teachers and staff.
3. Students from low-income households often need additional resources to achieve academic success. What should your school district do to ensure that all students are successful? We should find ways to ensure that all students have opportunities to be successful.
4. What strategies would you support to create a safer school environment? What can your school district do to address cyberbullying, mental health, and physical safety? There should be zero tolerance for all types of bullying and physical safety should be a high priority. Training should exist to recognize mental health problems and resources should exist to deal with the issues.
5. What do you see as the most pressing infrastructure needs facing your district? I would have to research this issue but I have noticed some elementary schools in my district that do not have fences and students are going from building to building in an open courtyard accessible to anyone.
6. Mississippi school districts are funded by a mix of federal, state, and local funds. The state contributes to local school districts through the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP). MAEP is intended to fund teacher salaries, retirement and benefits, transportation costs, facility maintenance and utilities, special education and other programs, but it is underfunded statewide this year by $279-million. What role will you play in advocating for full funding of MAEP for your district? MAEP has not been fully funded since 2007 is my understanding. My intention is to ask questions.
7. Vouchers for private school tuition and online schools divert public funds away from public schools. Do you agree that tax dollars should be used for only public schools and not for non-public schools? Why or why not? I have been reading the many pros and cons on this issue and there doesn’t seem to be a consensus at this point as to whether it is beneficial to the students.
8. In Mississippi, academic standards are set by the Mississippi Department of Education and local districts choose curricula from an MDE approved list. Do you trust educators in your district to teach using their professional judgement and training or should teaching be further regulated by school board policy or law? If you believe teaching should be further regulated, how so? I think that it might be advantageous to have school board oversight of the curricula.
9. Mississippi is experiencing a severe teacher shortage. What strategies will you support to recruit and retain high quality educators? Teaching needs to become the valued profession it used to be. I would like to hear ideas from teachers, past and present.
Tom Daniels
Advanced to runoff
NO RESPONSE
Zenobia Ann Holt
NO RESPONSE
Wayne Miller
NO RESPONSE
Marcus Whitfield
NO RESPONSE
